Sedum plant named &#39;Zi Juan&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Sedum spectabile  plant is provided that originated as a chance sport of the ‘Stardust’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) while growing in a cultivated state. The growth habit is upright and vigorous. The overall plant stature is medium. Attractive light-green to lime-green foliage is formed that contracts nicely with the light pink blossom coloration. The new cultivar is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in the gardens.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Sedum spectabile/Showy Sedum Plant

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. Zi Juan

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A new and distinct cultivar of Sedum plant is provided that isbotanically known as Sedum spectabile. Plants of this species aremembers of the Crassulaceae family.

The new cultivar is a sport of unknown causation of the ‘Stardust’cultivar (non-patented in the United States) which was discovered whilegrowing in a cultivated area among plants of the ‘Stardust’ cultivar.Had the single plant of the new cultivar not been discovered andpreserved it would have been lost to mankind.

It was found that the new Sedum plant exhibits the following combinationof characteristics:

-   -   (a) forms a profusion of attractive light pink blossoms,    -   (b) displays an upright vigorous growth habit,    -   (c) displays a medium overall plant stature,    -   (d) forms attractive light-green to lime-green foliage that        contrasts nicely with the light pink blossom coloration, and    -   (e) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation when        grown in gardens.

The attractive light pink blossoms of the new cultivar are well borneover the entire plant. The new cultivar well meets the needs ofhorticultural industry. It can be grown outdoors to advantage in thelandscape.

The new cultivar of the present invention can be readily distinguishedfrom the parental ‘Stardust’ cultivar. More specifically, the blossomsof the new cultivar are light pink in coloration unlike the whiteblossoms of the ‘Stardust’ cultivar. Also, the foliage of the newcultivar displays a lighter green coloration.

Also, the new cultivar can be well distinguished from the ‘Mr. Goodbud’cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,671). The blossoms of the ‘Mr. Goodbud’cultivar are red-purple to mauve in coloration unlike the light pinkblossoms of the new cultivar. Also, the new cultivar tends to be tallerin stature.

The new cultivar has been asexually reproduced at West Grove, Pa.,U.S.A., by the use of softwood cuttings. The characteristics of the newcultivar have been demonstrated to be firmly fixed and the new cultivarhas been demonstrated to reproduce in a true-to-type manner insubsequence generations.

The new cultivar has been named ‘Zi Juan’, and will be marketed underthe PINK SUNDAE trademark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows a specimen of the new cultivar at anage of approximately one year while growing outdoors during September,2007, at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is based on the observation of the newcultivar at an age of approximately one and one-half years duringSeptember while growing outdoors in full sun at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A.Such plant had been asexually reproduced through the use of softwoodcuttings. Reference to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, is provided. Common color termsare accorded their customary dictionary significance.

-   Origin: Sport of unknown causation of the ‘Stardust’ cultivar of    Sedum spectabile.-   Type: Herbaceous perennial.-   Plant:    -   -   Habit.—upright.        -   Stature.—medium.        -   Height.—approximately 60 cm on average.        -   Width.—approximately 60 cm on average.        -   Vigor.—excellent.        -   General appearance.—attractive compact plant with showy            blossoms.-   Branches:    -   -   Stem length.—commonly approximately 60 cm.        -   Stem diameter.—approximately 1 cm.        -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 144A.        -   Texture.—succulent and glaucous.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf type.—simple.        -   Arrangement.—alternate.        -   Configuration.—elliptic.        -   Venation.—pinnate.        -   Margins.—coarsely and irregularly serrate.        -   Apex.—broadly acute.        -   Base.—cuneate.        -   Blade length.—approximately 6 cm on average.        -   Blade width.—approximately 3 cm on average.        -   Texture.—glaucous, relatively thick, spongy, and succulent.        -   Color.—upper surface: commonly Yellow-Green Group 144A, with            the coloration being somewhat variable depending upon the            light and stress conditions that are encountered, and with            lighter green coloration being displayed under full sun and            low water growing conditions. — under surface: commonly            between Yellow-Group 144B and Greyed-Green Group 191B.        -   Petiole.—the leaves are borne in a sessile manner.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—complete, actinomorphic, stellate, terminal,            corymbose, and umbel-like.        -   Branching.—commonly with up to approximately 6 main            flowering branches per stem.        -   Peduncle.—succulent and glaucous.        -   Time of blooming.—commonly from September through October at            West Grove, Pa., U.S.A.        -   Buds.—commonly approximately 5 mm in length on average, and            approximately 2.5 mm in width on average.        -   Size.—a fully open flower commonly measures approximately 7            mm in depth on average and approximately 10 mm in diameter            on average.        -   Shape.—ovoid.        -   Petal count.—five.        -   Petal color.—commonly between Red Group 49C and 49D.        -   Petal shape.—lorate and reflexed.        -   Petal size.—commonly approximately 4 mm in length on            average, and approximately 1.5 mm in width on average.        -   Calyx size.—commonly approximately 3 mm in length on            average, approximately 1 mm in width on average,            campanulate, and commonly divided close to the base.        -   Calyx color.—Yellow-Green Group 149B.        -   Sepal number.—possesses five lobes.        -   Carpels.—prominent, five in number, and separate.        -   Pistil size.—commonly approximately 4 mm in length on            average, and approximately 1 mm in width on average.        -   Pistil color.—Greyed-Purple Group 186B.        -   Stamen number.—commonly 10.        -   Stamen color.—Greyed-Purple Group 186C.        -   Fragrance.—none.        -   Lastingness of flowers.—commonly each corymb lasts            approximately 5 weeks on average, depending upon the            environmental conditions that are encountered.        -   Fruit type.—ventrally dehiscent follicle, erect.-   The new cultivar can be grown in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone Nos. 4    to 9. No unusual susceptibility to diseases and pests has been noted    for the new cultivar during observations to date. Root rot may be    observed under particularly wet growing conditions. As with other    Sedum cultivars, the new cultivar may be damaged by mealy bugs,    scale insects, slugs, and snails. Plants of the new ‘Zi Juan’    cultivar have not been observed under all possible environmental    conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic    expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and    duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.

1. A new and distinct Sedum plant characterized by the followingcharacteristics: (a) forms a profusion of attractive light pinkblossoms, (b) displays an upright vigorous growth habit, (c) displays amedium overall stature, (d) forms attractive light-green to lime-greenfoliage that contrasts nicely with the light pink blossom coloration,and (e) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation when grownin gardens; substantially as illustrated and described.